#The Wife and I have already figured out everyone’s arcana

[creativly-anxious]

Twitter: Look at all these P5 swap aus!

Me, a Ryuji Stan with Too Many Thoughts: Hey, what if-

#persona 5 #personal post #I fell deep with this rabbit hole #The Wife and I have already figured out everyone’s arcana #and are working out exact roles and shit #plus I’ve already started sketching some designs

[bathsaltsmcgee]

Lore in the Merch

Okay, so as I'm sure everyone has probably already heard, the latest line of merch from Vivziepop just dropped this morning on Shark Robot, and as I was perusing the list, figuring out exactly what it was that I was going to snag for myself, I found something that I thought was just a hair interesting.

Okay, so in the t-shirt line, there are a bunch of glow in the dark tees featuring various hazbin and helluva characters in the style of tarot cards, which were, to be fair, exceptionally neat.

And yes, I've already ordered one.

However, as I was admiring the designs later in the evening to make sure I got the one I wanted, just in case I missed any, I noticed that there were little numbers on each of the designs.

Numbers for tarot cards.

One quick trip to google later, I realized they were all for corresponding tarot cards from the major arcana, which, admittedly, does make a great deal of sense, all things considered.

It would be a little weird if they were supposed to be tarot cards and didn't have the numbers in the design.

That, I will assent.

In any case, I did a little digging and I found that Beelzebub was the sun, Blitz was the moon, Charlie and Vaggie were the strength card, Human Loona was the chariot, and Alastor was the devil.

And while my first response was 'yeah, that tracks', when I started to think about it, to really think about it, I realized that perhaps there was more here than just a funny little reference to a tarot card deck.

For example, Stolas got the star card for his tarot card number, and if one digs into the deeper meaning of what the star represents in the arcana, there are a number of parallels with his story and character that tie in with the star card. Finding new meaning, holding a new sense of self, discovering a new sense of purpose, getting away from your crazy ass ex-wife, just to name a few.

So, it makes sense that he'd get the star card.

Furthermore, Angel Dust got the hanged man card for his number, which also makes sense because, from my understanding, it's all about taking pause to reevaluate your strategy on life and consider whether or not this is the right way to go before taking the next step. 'The thinking that got into this mess won't get you out of it and it's time for a change' sort of card. So, considering his horrible life as a pornstar/ prostitute/ stripper and wanting to get away from it all by making a split second decision and submitting to the Happy Hotel for redemption treatment instead of just continuing on the way he's been would be more than enough to qualify him for the Hanged Man.

So, what does the card for Alastor mean?

Sure, it's easy to write it off with a 'well, he's the Devil of the show' sort of thing, but I suspect it has far more to do with his own way of thinking than it does anything else. I'm not an expert on tarot, but from what I can glean, the devil card has something to do with being trapped or restricted or held back by something that keeps you from being your best self; self-imposed limitations, or a lack of power, or feeling like you're not in control, or there's some external force that making someone feel like they're powerless to affect their situation, so they might as well not even try to change it, which, honestly, doesn't sound like Alastor at all, given what little we know about him thus far.

it sounds like something he might inflict, sure, but not something he'd be going through himself personally.

However, given the nature of the other cards and how those arcanas are linked to the individual character's arcs, logic dictates that the symbolism of the arcana are directly tied to the characters and their struggles.

So, what gives here?

Is Alastor really trapped a prison of his own making?

Does he actually feel powerless about his situation, which is why he outrightly dismissed Charlie's redemption scheme because, in his mind, it's far too late to change and there's no undoing what's been done?

Is that what's really going on here?

Or am I overthinking things again?

Well, either way, they hid lore in the merch.

I just wanted to point that out.

Furthermore, if they actually did foreshadow future character developments within the tarot card shirts for a show that has yet to premiere, I will officially be impressed.

That was clever.

#hazbin hotel #alastor #merch #they hid lore in the merch y'all #tarot #tarot cards #arcana #major arcana #the devil #the devil tarot #hazbin alastor

[automaton-otto]

"Good evening everyone and thank you for tuning in to the 5 o'clock Vaalbara Capital News. I'm Sila Mor, reporting from our studio at the world capital of Vaalbara."

"In our top story today, Titan Activist and Humanitarian, Prometheus has yet to awaken from his coma following the attack earlier this week at his estate. Though his condition has thankfully stabilized. Doctors and medical personnel are on constant surveillance for any changes in his current disposition."

"Medical examinations have confirmed that due to signs of superficial burns, Lichtenberg dust figures, and a lack of punctures wounds on the chest. We've concluded that the main cause of injury was due to a magic induced attack. Prometheus's wife, Lady Ma'at, has yet to give us details on the attack as well details on the sudden disappearance of their grandchild, Jacob Fairheart."

"The motive of the assault is unknown and the identity of the attacker has yet to be indentified but many speculate this to be either an assassination attempt or a terrorist act. Citizens are advised to stay indoors, remain vigilant, and report any suspicious activity."

As expected, the core of the world is once again shaken at the fact that the always benevolent god's life is now hanging in the balance. Fellow Humanitarian Bruford Barret Braun of Braun Industries said that his heart goes out to Prometheus's family and that he has always been a dear friend and confidant to him. He also stated that he would continue to do charity work and spread Promethesus's message as he felt that's what he would have wanted"

"Grand Councilmen Gregorio Grand of the Kingdom of Grandia says that his thoughts and prayers are with the divine family."

"In these uncertain times, it's good to know that we can always rely on the strength and leadership of our Grand Royal Family. Good Night and Godspeed."

-------

Jeanne turns off the tv and lets out an annoyed sigh, steam pluming out of her mouth all the while, "So we're really not getting ourselves involved in this?"

"It is not-"

"It's not the Court of Tarot's business to deal with the affairs of the divine!" Jeanne yells interrupting her teacher, "I get it already but Jacob's gone missing. A kid's been kidnapped and you just want us to stand by?"

"Those are orders sent directly from the Knight of the World himself. He and the rest of the Major Arcana are still trying to feel the situation out." Bonnie explains.

"What the hell is left to feel out?" Jeanne says, "One of our friends is in a coma and their grandson is either missing or worse!"

"Prometheus the Forethinker is not our ally." Bonnie says taking a sip of her tea, "I have told you explicitly not to ally yourself with divine beings. Yet you did so anyway despite my warnings."

"I'm not-"

"There are consequences to allying yourself with a god!" Bonnie yells, "You weren't there when the Trojan War happened. Shit got crazy! If I do nothing and let you go about this recklessly it could lead to a divine war between two pantheons using the planet as their battleground! The casualties would be in the hundreds of thousands! I know you want to save those kids. We all want to. But until we can figure something that won't lead to the end of the world we have to bide our time."

"......." Jeanne says nothing she simply hides her eyes under the brim of her hat. The detective knew the monk was right. She just hated feeling helpless.

"We'll get them back. I promise." Bonnie consoles her student hugging her from behind, "We just have to wait."

#world building (drabbles and ask) #background noise (dash commentary)

[alyjojo]

June 🐬 2022 Monthly - Aries

Whole of your energy: The Magician

You have all of the tools at your disposal to create the reality you desire, which seems to be rooted in something unfair or unbalanced, with Justice rev. to clarify. The amount of major arcanas pulled in this reading already is intense, you’re clearly in a pivotal cycle of life, one that you may not have much control over. If something in your life has been unbalanced or unfair, you have the capability of making it right, it may be something you’re doing if that’s the case.

What’s going on in June:

Death:

You’re starting off with an ending of some kind. Clarified by The High Priestess can be Spirit saying “you don’t need to know”, that’s how I often take it. Another major. The Empress is connected on the other side, The Hierophant has come out twice already, you could be dealing with a wife, whether yours or someone else’s, possibly a mother figure as well. There is a need to defend yourself or the commitment you have with someone, a need to work towards victory together. That’s the intention, but something is hidden that’s bringing this air of teamwork to an end. If there’s been silence between you, that’s ending.

The Empress:

Clarified by 10 Pentacles, this is clearly a very serious relationship. Could be a marriage, could be someone else that’s already married, could also indicate your parents. This could be you or your person. As a signifier, The Empress is shown as Queen of Cups, a water sign, someone loving, nurturing, a friend to everyone, she’s focused on art, children, growth in all of its forms. She’s also jealous & possessive, holding tightly to illusions and fears in regards to you. Wheel of Fortune show something may have happened suddenly with your person that’s found you on your own, without them. The Emperor (Aries energy) comes out with 9 Pentacles (singles energy). Either this was sudden or a long time coming, or you’re focused on yourself not the whole of everyone and it’s causing problems. If your person is married to someone else, they may be trying to leave that relationship, because you’re in an energy of waiting, and that is one of the stories here. For most of you, it’s just you and your person.

3 Wands:

It looks like you’re waiting for this Empress to be independent of whatever their situation is currently. Could be a whole family situation, she’s got an Emperor and 10 Pentacles that come with her. Yikes. If you’re waiting for an Empress that has an Emperor, might as well move along fr. If this is your committed partner, then you’re waiting even while you’re separated, you think this person is full of bologna and you’ll just get right back together. You’re waiting to make up and in the meantime, you’re fine on your own. A bit arrogant, hmm. You’re also cutting off any overindulgent energy, whether financial or otherwise, however that applies to you, making smart & practical financial decisions. You could be projecting a bit of your own feelings & behaviors and acting out of self-interest. If you’ve made a large purchase spontaneously, your person is ticked off.

The Hierophant:

In this reading, this card seems to be representing a marriage, or at least a very deep commitment between you and your person. Even midst a separation period, which you don’t believe. Or you two just not speaking. One of you is apologizing to the other one, sending passionate messages of wanting to reconcile and make this relationship better than it has been. The Emperor is very upset and disappointed about having to leave The Empress behind. If that energy is switched then it’s the other person upset, but they are reaching out to apologize and ask for forgiveness, a new beginning. The other person finds themselves at crossroads about what they can physically do to change whatever dynamic has gone on between you/them.

7 Wands:

This is a very defensive energy, standing their ground, it seems like you’re the one apologizing, and they’re the ones not acting very receptive about a new beginning in love, Ace of Cups. This Queen of Cups is acting stubborn, closed off and holding a grudge towards you, they may not be speaking that much and when they do it’s defensive and argumentative. With Wheel of Fortune & The World here, either this is a karmic cycle that is going to end...which it really seems to be, or by giving it the time necessary to heal from whatever this is, it will end. I don’t see a Death ending, a resolute one, but a natural one to a difficult cycle, not the relationship, hopefully the end to whatever this conflict is.

The High Priestess:

This can be something you don’t see, or don’t know currently. It seems like a message directly from Spirit, clarified by Temperance, it’s telling you to have patience when reconciling with this person. Be gentle, loving, thoughtful, let them know they’re on your mind, let them know you care deeply for them...less ego. This genuinely feels like a karmic lesson on how to treat the person you care about, their boundaries and what they will and won’t put up with. It’s a necessary thing, even if it’s difficult for you right now. There is no clear yes this will work, but it’s definitely leaning that direction, Temperance is reconciling. Just give this person the time & space they require. There’s a reason they need space. The kinder you are to them, the more likely you’ll get them to come around.

Signs you may be dealing with:

Pisces 💯 Virgo, Capricorn, Sagittarius, Aries & Leo

Oracles: ✨

Be proud of the body you’re in. After all, the outside is not you.

Look at today as the beginning of a new and positive you, and let go of the past.

We enter into June as:

Saint Apricot 😇

“I’m sorry that I have to take care of myself.”

Saint Apricot comes to you when you have been (or are about to be) freed from a situation that has you chained. This is a lesson in taking care of yourself. It’s a reminder to not give away more than you can, or it will drain you. We are not giving from a place of love if we are giving only to get. People may not like it when we focus on taking care of ourselves, but it is necessary in order to have a truthful relationship with them. If you speak the truth from your heart, then any guilt you feel is from the fear of being disliked. Feelings of shame come up when we feel we are “bad”, guilt comes up when we feel something we’ve done is “bad”. If another person no longer chooses to be in our lives, due to what’s been said or done in total honesty, it’s not our fault, it is their choice. This signifies a turn in your destiny. You are moving in a new direction towards freedom, and this opens the gateway towards more rewarding relationships in life.

What is to be learned in June:

Penelope and Pickle 🥒:

“Grief...is honoring a love lost.”

Grief is a natural part of life. We must always remember to love those around us as fully as we can in the moments we have them. Grief is only love, with no place to go. This may be calling you to understand your own or someone else’s grief. Loss is personal, it comes out different in each individual. Love always comes with the risk of loss, but is important to remember that we valued a friend. Penelope & Pickle knew the value in their relationship, and it’s sad they lost each other, but the fact this love ever existed is what helps us find the strength to love again. All cycles must be completed to start over. If you choose to honor your pain, and allow all of the mourning to come, it will be life changing.

Green may be a lucky color 💚

#aries tarot reading #aries monthly reading #June 2022 #Aries #tarot #monthly

[hamarhemmo]

More LGBTQ+ book/movie/game etc. recommendations!

Games:

Stradew Valley: A lovely game with simple pixel graphics. Basically you live on a farm that your dead grandpa left you and you get to make friends in the small town the farm is in. There's 12 characters that you can marry (6 guys, 6 gals) and also one friendly shadow person who you can take as a roommate. As you could guess all of the bachelors/bachelorettes are bisexual. Costs about 10€, available on almost all gaming devices I think.

The Arcana: A dating sim. Yes, they are pretty cliche but Arcana is seriously great. Basically you're a magician's apprentice, and you get to date cool people. You can even play all routes at the same time if you want. You get to choose your characters pronouns (he/she/they) and name. You can change them anytime. Of the dateable characters 3 are guys, 2 are gals, and one is enby. Julian's and Lucio's routes have some sexual humor but nothing extreme, and Muriel's route has some talk of past child abuse I think (haven't played it yet). The remaining three routes should be suitable for anyone. Free, for mobile.

Movies:

Mulan: Everyone already knows the plot, right? Technically not about a trans guy but I've still always enjoyed watching it on dysphoric days. Also Li Shang is a bi-icon.

Night at the Museums: If you follow me, you've probably already seen them, but basically they tell about a nightguard in a museum where everything comes alive at night. One of the characters is gay (Octavius) and I'd dare to say that Jedediah isn't straight either. Also Ahkmenrah just acts really gay. They are very funny and the characters are mostly historically accurate. The movies are on Disney+ at least.

Old Guard: The movie came out in 2020 so it has actually good LGBTQ+ characters :D. Anyways, it's about these immortal guys who do cool stuff and try to keep their immortality secret. It has five main characters of which two are dating (Joe and Nick) and one is wlw (Andy). Joe and Nick are the sweetest couple I've ever seen. Anyways I think there's gonna be a second movie in a few years. It's based on a comic thingy I haven't read. The movie is on Netflix.

YouTube:

One Topic At A Time: A lovely YouTuber, huge ally, and a dad figure for us all. Makes mostly videos where he reads memes from LGBTQ+ subreddits. Notoriously doesn't get innuendos. He's just a very sweet person, okay?

Kurtis Conner: A popular commentary YouTuber. His videos aren't necessarily about LGBTQ+ but he always tries his best at being inclusive, and has raised money for LGBTQ+ charities.

Lucas Cruikshank: Probably the gayest person I know. Does commentary and reaction videos. A bit questionable humor here and there but mostly suitable for anyone to watch. Definitely entertaining. He's the guy from Fred movies.

Jammidodger: A bisexual trans dude. Makes a lot of videos about LGBTQ+. Often goes through Reddit and has collabed with One Topic. His fianceé/wife is also bisexual and makes videos. (Her name is Shaaba.)

I may add something to this post later if I can think of more stuff.

Also tell me if I should keep the pictures or nah.

EDIT: I somehow forgot the TV show:

Shadowhunters. (It's also a book series but I haven't read it and it's very different, so i'm gonna only be talking about the show.) Anyways, the universe is hard to explain but basically there's humans (mundanes), shadowhunters and downworlders. Shadowhunters are part human, part angel, and downworlders are part human, part demon. (Also there's seelies who are part angel, part demon but anyways.) Basically shadpwhunters kill demons and are usually racist aginst downworlders. Let's get to the gayness: There's a lot of characters but of of the important characters one is gay, one is bi, one is ace, and the rest just give huge LGBTQ+ vibes. Also there's a lot of LGBTQ+ side characters. In my opinionthe gay stuff is really well done, considering the fact that the author is a cishet woman. I don't really know what else to say, but I definitely recommend.

#lgbt #lgbtq #stardew valley #the arcana #mulan #natm #night at the museum #the old guard #one topic at a time #kurtis conner #lucas cruikshank #bisexual #trans #lesbian #gay #lgbtq+ #jammidodger #shadowhunters #alec lightwood #magnus bane #raphael santiago

[empressapprentice]

Arcana Headcanons: M3 + MC Who Beats Everyone at Chess

Hello friends! The lovely @firefly-child posted about a fun game called Request Roulette. They post a prompt, and anyone who wants to is free to fill it. The first prompt is: “How would the main 6 react to MC beating like every person that’s goes against them in chess but at the end they whisper to the LI that they actually have no idea how to play chess and just kept moving pieces till they won” and also includes the lovely line “hehe move pieces around make brain go brrrrrrrr.” I just had to do this. I’m going for a bastard version of The Queen’s Gambit here.

Housekeeping stuff: This is just the main 3, although I have some ideas for the other characters and will be posting soon. I also wanted to break the posts up because despite this being incredibly silly, it still managed to be super long (oh well!). Also warning for some horniness in Julian’s, but nothing worse than what you see in game (couldn’t resist hehe). The good stuff is under the cut :)

Asra:

You and Asra don’t tend to play board games together, favoring card games that utilize his Tarot deck. So despite him knowing you so well, he doesn’t realize you have absolutely no clue how to play chess.

Asra learned to play during one of his many trips and it became one of his favorite ways to distract himself. Playing chess didn’t require the friendly camaraderie that other games do (something he couldn’t muster while mourning you or during your recovery) and gave him something to focus on other than you. He got surprisingly good over time. Though he never put any real time into studying strategies, he has an uncanny ability to figure out his opponent’s plan, always countering it perfectly.

So when the two of you join an informal tournament and you start doing really well (like, really well), Asra just can’t take it. He can hardly believe that you were hiding this skill from him for all these years. He’s looking at you with so much love in his heart and a goofy grin on his face.

When you take a break before the final game and beckon Asra over, he assumes you’re nervous. He peppers your face with kisses and leans over to give you words of encouragement, but you stop him. You instead whisper in his ear, telling him you’ve been just pushing pieces around randomly. He pulls back, a look of shock on his face. Then, he breaks out into peals of laughter. 

Knowing your secret does not diminish Asra’s enjoyment of watching the final game at all. For a moment, he considers resting Faust on your shoulders and using her to communicate possible moves, but he decides to take a step back and let you work. He truly doesn’t care that you’re faking it, he’s in awe of you. His eyes even get a little misty when he thinks about how far you’ve come since the resurrection, the picture of cool confidence in front of the crowd.

When you win, he picks you up in his arms and spins you around. Sure, you may not be a secret chess genius, but it is just like the person he loves to manage to pull this off.

Nadia:

Nadia has been trained in a wide variety of strategy games and genuinely enjoys playing them. She occasionally studies chess strategies to keep her skills sharp. There’s nothing she enjoys more than the challenge of cracking a puzzle. It’s just like when she tinkers with mechanical projects: there’s always a “right” answer to each move her opponent makes, and she loves to figure it out.

She’s hosting a friendly competition with some fellow politicians and dignitaries in the salon. She encourages you to play a game, since it’ll look good for the Countess’ partner to be an active participant in the games.

She’s pleased to see you win your first game and continue to work your way up through the ranks. There’s pleasant chatter in the room while everyone compliments the Countess’ choice in partner. She’s proud of you, but her competitive edge is seeping in. She can’t believe that you hid your talent from her--she’s impressed, a little turned on by your chess prowess, and determined to take. you. down.

Soon, it becomes clear that you will need to go against Nadia. You’re shaking in your boots. You got this far against your other opponents, but you genuinely didn’t care about the outcomes of those games. All you wanted was to help Nadia host a good afternoon of friendly games. But now you’re in too deep. You need to put up a good display of strength against your wife, and ideally you would lose so Nadia can save face, but at this point you don’t even know how to move the pieces to get a certain outcome.

You and Nadia are seated across from each other and you are both trying to keep things friendly, but there’s a distinct undercurrent of tension in the room. You get first move as the reigning champion. Nadia takes a long moment, makes a deliberate move, then leans back and smirks at you. Uh oh, she’s feeling really competitive.

You go round for round, while you just move pieces based on your general whims. You can tell that Nadia is becoming slightly flustered, struggling to figure out your strategy. Finally, mercifully, Nadia pulls out a winning move. By now, the dignitaries have lost interest and the event naturally winds down after the game ends.

When you and Nadia are alone after the game, you know you have to tell her your secret. She detects the change in your mood and assumes you’re upset about losing. You turn to her, and the story spills out of you. You finish telling your story, breathless, and the two of you stare into each other’s eyes for a long moment before breaking out into laughter.

Julian:

Who brought a chess set to the Rowdy Raven? It looks so out of place in the tavern, where drunkards usually stick to playing cards and other simple games. The goal is usually to play as many rounds as quickly as possible to shuffle a few coins back and forth among the gamblers.

When Julian spots it, his eyes light up. He asks if you’d be willing to play a round against him, before a mysterious stranger walks up and claims the chessboard. They say that you’ll have to fight to use the chessboard. Julian’s already rolling up his sleeves, but you quickly realize that the stranger wants one of you to play them--if you win, you can borrow the board.

Emboldened by your drink, you push Julian away and sit across from the stranger. You know you’ve never played chess before, but how hard could it be? Turns out, not that hard. You just push a bunch of pieces around and soon, the stranger declares you the winner.

Julian swaggers up to the chessboard and sits across from you. Julian, the love of your life, who is so smart in so many ways, has also come to the same realization that you came to just moments ago. He has no idea how to play chess. 

“Hey, MC, how about the winner gets to ask a favor, ~any~ favor of the loser?” He’s waggling his eyebrows at you just like he always does. He’s calculated his odds of winning, and they’re not good. But he figures that if he wins, he’ll ask you for a kiss, and if he loses, he’s sure that your creative mind will find some use for him.

You play against each other, each making more and more questionable moves. You don’t know much about chess, but you think he’s moving some of the pieces in the wrong configurations. But you worry that if you call him out, you’ll expose your utter lack of chess knowledge. He also thinks you’re doing some weird things with the pieces, but he has the exact same concern.

Neither of you are willing to back down and admit you don’t know what’s going on. You also don’t know how to end the game. It’s something with the Queen piece, but which one is even the Queen?

The two of you play against each other, getting progressively drunker as you sip on Salty Bitters. A tankard or two later, you crack. You tell Julian all about your stroke of luck against the stranger and his grin just gets wider and wider. He tries to play it off like he’s an actual chess genius and he knew what he was doing the whole time, but you call his bluff. Better get him home, because soon he’ll be begging to be punished for lying.

#the arcana #The Arcana Game #the arcana headcanons #the arcana main 3 #asra alnazar #nadia satrinava #julian devorak #nic arcana headcanons

[yandere-sins]

Can I see bondage and blood (4 and 6) for the bratty goat man that is Lucio. I just got into the arcana and I’m loosing my mind over this brat. I love it.

Hahahaha, welcome to the fandom! Thanks for requesting the goat man lol Enjoy ^^

Bondage - “Darling your such a tease. I’ll give you a taste of what it’s like playing with fire.” 

»»———————— ♡ ————————««     

There were so many red flags when you received the invitation to the Palace. All these rumors about a sickness spreading through the streets of Vesuvia, yet, the count still requested the likes of you to attend to him and keep him company while people began drawing back and isolate. Sure, tending to anyone who demanded your service was your daily bread, but you’d rather stayed at your home as well.

But he was a paying customer and not a first-timer either. Also, as the count, he was paying very, very well. Once these ‘sickness’ wore down, it would be good money in your hand to have, especially if you wanted nothing more than to leave this place.

That wasn’t all, of course. Every visit you spend at his side was filled with lavish meals and grand festivities. You felt less than an escort and more than an actual member of the high society when you were with him. But all the presents and clothes he gave to you were starting to drown you in guilt and fear that one day, this was something to hold over your head if you weren’t careful.

So, why did you go back?

Biting your cheek, you wondered about your reasons as you put on yet another wonderful, soft and endearing garment that he had prepared for you. Lucio hadn’t even arrived yet, but you knew by his choices that he grew bolder every time. You had told him right at the start, from be very beginning, that you weren’t interested in more than staying by his side and looking nice. That other services weren’t your occupation, and even less were you interested in something personal.

Yet, your hands began to sweat nervously as Lucio got announced, servants rushing to open the door for him, and your bad feeling intensified.

“[Name]!” he called out joyfully, arms open wide to pull you into a hug, entering the room without even a moment of hesitation. Lucio wasn’t a typical noble. Everyone talked about him behind his back of how unfit he was in his position. To greet you first and so casually - in front of servants no less - kind of confirmed that. No one would tell him off, strangely enough, giving him the respect to do as he pleased. Perhaps that was the influence of his wife, but you weren’t unhappy that he wasn’t spitting in your face or belittling you like the others would once they were done with you.

“Count,” you greeted him briefly, bowing your head to him with a small smile you could muster. No second later, you were virtually overrun by him, finding yourself dipped down and in his arms in the blink of an eye. “Finally some good company,” he smirked, reaching for your hand to kiss it. Charm, he had, even if this was one of the few good points you could name about him.

It was a rather typical meeting, minus the grand balls he liked to throw for his ‘friends’. Just you too, a table between you that was smaller than the one he usually filled with food. The menu was just as delicious, even though you two had it in silence, Lucio never losing the smile on his face. He usually was much more talkative, so you let him talk, but today, even if you spoke up, he wouldn’t react with his great stories and even greater enthusiasm. Maybe, it was just a calm day for him. Maybe he was just exhausted.

The time couldn’t run out faster, your eyes occasionally flitting to the small clock on top of the fireplace. Yet, every time you’d be disappointed with how much time was still left. You had been served tea, the servants leaving you alone as soon as the biscuits were placed down on the coffee table in front of you. Only when the door fell into its lock did Lucio finally sigh deeply, as if he was bothered by a heavy weight on his shoulders.

“I thought about it,” he finally spoke up, his words more serious than you had heard from him ever. This voice, paired with his words, rose another flinch of nervosity in you, and you sipped at your cup filled with warmth to hide your anxiety. Lucio walked back over to you, sitting down next to you on the couch and taking an inelegant sip of his own cup. “I want you to stay here.”

Immediately, the tea you just drank left a bitter aftertaste on your tongue, and you backed away noticeable. “My Count, I told you in the very beginning I don’t stay the night--”

“No, no!” he quickly waved off, shaking his head before taking a deep breath and reaching for your hands. You wanted to pull away, but at the same time, you feared upsetting such an important figure in this society by behaving rudely. “I meant forever.”

“Forever...?” you muttered, feeling your expression crunch up in confusion. “My Lord, I don’t think that would be appropriated--”

You really couldn’t see yourself, an escort, stay by his side.

“Not yet, but...” his voice trailed off as you thought to see hints of red grace his cheeks. “I will make you Count Consort. I mean it! You’ll have all the rights that even the Countess has, and you’ll be allowed to stay here.”

His offer sounded sincere at least, his expression giving off the impression that - even if it was foolish - he meant it. It took you a lot of strength not to gasp in his face about what he said, the mere idea of you becoming such a high-ranking member of nobility scaring and appalling you. Maybe this was a dream coming true for many people, but not for you. Not for someone like you who wanted to leave this city for a new start, and especially the Count who was starting to do what you always feared he would: Monopolize you.

“I cannot,” you said firmly, feigning regret in your voice before pulling your hands from his. “Why?” he asked, inching closer, your legs touching while he kept snapping for your hands. “I... I just can’t.”

“That’s not a reason. You can. Just say yes and stay with me.”

Finally, he managed to get a hold of your wrists, squeezing them tightly in his fingers. The golden prothesis always had scared you a little when he touched you with it. It was cold, and not rarely he put on claws on top of his fingertips that seemed more than just dull accessories. You were glad it wasn’t the case this time, yet the sheer strength he managed to bring up with it was only made more painful by the metal.

“No!” you gasped, finally letting your feeling of fear and disgust showing on your face. It was in the gist of the moment, Lucio witnessing your rejection, that he loosened the strength on his grip so you could tear your arm away. You didn’t mean to cross his cheek with your palm. You really didn’t! But when you realized the slapping sound echoing through the room, it was already too late, and you had jumped up, staring at what you did in horror.

The next moment, you ran to the door, slamming into the wood as it wouldn’t budge when you wanted to open it.

You always believed that he was different, but perhaps, you should have heeded the warnings. He treated you nicely, but in the end, when the other escorts told you that he had little patience, yet mighty demands of his partners, you should have heeded their advice to not go agree again and again to visit him. They told you about what he took pleasure in; the colosseum, the wars, bloodshed, and people worshipping him. It should have been enough for you to not return. To see that he was no good man, even if he treated you right.

“Darling you’re such a tease,” you heard behind you, and no second passed that another body pressed up to you, locking you between the door and Lucio. “You want me to fight for you? Beg you? Run after you? If that’s what you want, sure, I don’t mind.”

Exasperated, you turned around, not wanting to leave your back so exposed to him, only to find yourself staring right at a golden key he held in front of you. Hesitant, you glanced at him, his eyes now clearly duller compared to before, where he looked at you as the object of his affection, but the smile playing on his lips was anything but sincere. The mismatch of expression scared you, but you quickly snatched the key from him, fiddling with the door a little until you heard the lock open. Pressed up so close to it, it was no surprise you lost your footing, tumbling to the ground as it finally gave away. In the hallway usually filled with hustling and bustling of servants and guards, dead silence and darkness were all that awaited you.

You faintly remembered the layout as you stumbled to your feet, giving a short glance over your shoulder as you saw Lucio step out of the room as well, his hand leisurely coming up to usher you forwards. “Run, my Beloved. It’s only fair if you have a chance to escape. You always told me how you wanted to escape your life, so here I thought we were under the same impression, but in the end, you’re going to hate me as well, don’t you?”

His words were so sad, yet, their meaning scarier than anything to you. You never realized... that he thought this way. That up till now, he had been looking out for you after all. “But it doesn’t matter if you hate me,” he added, shoulders slumping as he looked at you pitifully. “Everyone does, but that means they let me do what I want. And I want to be with you. Deep down, you know I can make your wish come true. Otherwise, why would you have always come back to me?”

Now, you weren’t waiting anymore. As quickly as you could, with the fabric of the garment rushing by you as you ran, you made your way to what you thought was the exit. There was something mad about the way he uttered these last sentences, and you didn’t want to find out. Not when you heard his steps follow after you.

“That’s a dead-end,” he called behind you as you dipped into a sidearm of the hallway. “Don’t make it easy for me to catch you, Sweetheart.”

But it was already too late; you had to move forward. You’d slip into a room there and jump out of the window if it turned out that there wasn’t any way left to go. But the further in you got, the fewer doors you saw until they only sparsely appeared around you. Every time you thought, “One more, the next I will enter and escape,” but then they stopped appearing completely, and you ran right into a portrait of your suitor at the end of the hallway.

“You went easy on me?” you heard behind you. “You’re such an adorable rabbit. You could have just told me that you wanted me to court you some more! But don’t you worry.”

Eventually, Lucio caught up to you while you pressed up to the wall in your back, eyeing for a chance to escape him. Until it was too late, his face so close to you, you felt his breath against your lips and a cold, uncomfortable grip around your chin. “Hate me all you want, but I finally realize this is what you want too. You got me really riled up now, [Name]. We can play all night long if you want.”

You wanted to say something, do something, slap him again! But you couldn’t. You couldn’t even move a finger, or take a breath, captivated by the glowing silver of his eyes, shining even in the dark. “I’ll give you a taste of what it’s like playing with fire,” he whispered before you felt his lips close in on yours.

“Because that’s what you did to me too and now it’s your turn to get burned.”

#Lucio #Montag Morgasson #yandere Lucio #yandere!Lucio #The Arcana #The Arcana game #yandere the arcana #the arcana yandere #yandere!the arcana #yandere arcana #yandere!arcana #yandere #yandere imagines #yandere headcanons #yandere scenarios #yandere fanfiction #yandere writing #yandere oneshot #yandere drabble #yandere x reader #yandere x darling #Yandere TW #crow-buns

[vampiresuns]

Cassano Arianamenzi | The First Of The Cassano

picrew credit

Cassano Arianamenzi: The clever Court Archivist who would become Consul

I have mentioned in a couple of places, but particularly in this post, that the Cassano (and the Radošević-Cassano by extension) aren’t nobles, and they only ended up with the Consulship through a scheme, and no one quite knows how they did it.

Well, that’s not entirely true. This is Cassano Arianamenzi, the woman who would change the history of the Vesuvian Consulship forever.

Name: Cassano Gizem Arianamenzi.

Meaning of the name: ‘Cassano’ is the name of a series of towns, while ‘Gizem’ means ‘mystery’ in Turkish.

Nicknames: Cas, Ari, Arianamenzi

Family: She is the eldest of five children, and the daughter of a Philosopher who earned a Court Position as a scholar (Father) and an artisan who made instruments (Mother). They had her while fairly young so she was raised by her grandparents and great aunts for a portion of her life. This never brought her problems with her parents, who were very present, but taught her the importance of community. The Arianamenzi all raised their children that way and lived in a multi-generational household.

They lived in the edge between Goldgrave and Centre City. They were never particularly well off, though they had enough. All of her siblings studied through apprenticeships, and she did so on a scholarship on the account of being the daughter of her father. She often said rich people and aristocrats mistake education for class (for a reason), but once they learnt you had had an education without being like them, they suddenly praised you through romanticising your position in life, thinking anyone who wasn’t like them must’ve starved to be able to spell their names, because naturally everyone who wasn’t like them was stupid.

Clearly, these people got on her nerves.

Their siblings were: Riparte (she/her), Flavius (they/she), Eziz (he/him) and Nora (he him).

Favourite Food: Spicy Mussel stew.

Favourite Drink: Kvass

Favourite Flower: Cherry Blossoms

Birthday: September 7th

Age: 37 for the relevant events in her timeline, but she was born 377 years before the events of the game.

Zodiac: Virgo sun, Aquarius Moon, Aries Rising

Patron Arcana: The Devil (always reversed) and the Page of Pentacles

Devil, Reserved: freedom, release, restoring control.

Upright: ambition, desire, diligence; Reversed: lack of commitment, greediness, laziness

 Pronouns: She/Her

Languages Spoken: Vesuvian (common tongue and old dialect),Firentian, Prakran, Galbradan Bulani.

Magic: Language magic and language manipulation — she can tell the intention and honesty of people through their words, both spoken and written. She is able to perform different kinds of incantation, manipulate glyphs, and temporary and limited alteration of the world around her through words.

Being a ‘language manipulator’ is one of the few magical traits the Cassano possess. She wasn’t the first language manipulator in her family, and the Arianamenzi don’t know who was, nor they care. It skips generations, however.

There’s a couple of them between her and the current generation of the R-C, but the last language manipulators of the Cassano have been Vitale Cassano, Consul of Vesuvia, Aelius Anatole Radošević and Artemisia Cassano.

Familiar: A mongoose (Egyptian mongoose) called Pearl.

Song: Centuries, Fall Out Boy

The Poison Plot of The Vesuvian Court & Facts about Cas Arianamenzi.

Cassano began working as an archivist, handling the paperwork of the Court and the Consul, when she was 27. By the time she was 33 she was working directly with the Consul, though she mostly worked in the archives department, and the old Palace’s library. A year after she landed the position the Poison Plot began.

In the span of three years, three Consuls and two temporary placeholders were poisoned in the Vesuvian Court, as well as five other officials and a diplomatic envoy.

Cassano had began putting the pieces together on her own, mostly thanks to her magic and her job as an archivist, but she was able to win a new perspective on this when the Count of the time, a magician named Sibona, began venting to her, trying to escape both the Vesuvian summer and late spring heat, and her Court.

After the last of murdered Consuls was poisoned, Sibona, who had already figured out Cassano was also a magician, asked her why didn’t she solve it. If she did, Sibona would make her the Consul.

Cassano declined originally, telling she had no Courtly aspirations nor wished to end up dead, but eventually agreed. Count Sibona realised she knew more about politics than what she gave away, and decided to trust her gut about her.

She wasn’t wrong. Cassano was able to solve the plot and restructure some of the Court functioning, including the basic functioning of the Consulship as related to the City and working with a seven people integrated council (which you can read about here).

One of the reasons she was able to solve it was because Aristocrats dismissed her for not being one of them. Court Archivists and Court Staff were seen as invisible and she took advantage of it, as she did of her magic.

The Palazzo, however, wasn’t endowed to her. It belonged to the one of the murdered Consul’s who had no open succession. Whether Sibona let her get away with manipulating who it would pass to, or she never realised, Cassano didn’t know, but given how her magic worked, it was extremely hard to prove she had forged anything to begin with.

That Consul didn’t really use the building. Up to her, the Consuls lived in the Palace with the Count. She refused this because she couldn’t leave her family alone. Her family and friends were also the reason why she tried to procure the Palazzo in the first place. It was less about the status symbol and more about “these goddamn Aristocrats have entire empty buildings and for what, for fucking what.” She was able to safely house her entire extended family along with more than one friend.

She is the entire reason why the Cassano have the tradition of having the Palazzo opened to the people — the Arianamenzi realised that with this building, they could now help their community in an even bigger scale. While she “inherited” (aka took as a squatter) the Palazzo with everything in it, most of the collections have been donations from friends. The space is supposed to be communally kept. A lot of the paintings in it, and some of the oldest murals are there because she gave the opportunity to friends of her family by commissioning them, so she could show rich people their work.

They did try to poison her. She was able to anticipate it through her scheming and was, in fact, waiting for it, to the point she contacted one of her friends, an alchemist who was an expert in poisons from South End, to help her with a preventive antidote.

Most of it was to show Aristocrats what a little fraternity between people can do.

She firmly believed she had more in common with people in the street than the rest of the Court. A lot of what she believed and how she carried herself as the Consul is the origin of a lot of ways to be that the Radošević-Cassano as a family now have. She is also responsible for the saying “nothing mortal can kill a Cassano” (because the poison didn’t kill her).

When asked about how rulers should be, this was her reply: “A ruler shouldn’t be feared, nor loved. A ruler should be competent. Discussions of punishment or morality only detract a ruler from their one true command: to do their goddamned job.”

Count Sibona liked her because she thought Cas was weird.

It wasn’t Cassano who came up with the Consul ascension ceremony, it was Count Sibona who most likely came up with it to be a shit about Cassano taking an entire Palazzo without asking.

Her wife’s name was Caterina.

Because I believe Arcanaverse rapiers to be an invention of at least 150 years after she was alive, her sword was not a rapier. She learnt while she was studying and apprenticing under a scholar because she was bored.

She wrote two books in her lifetime: a book about political philosophy, and a book in the old Vesuvian Dialect about the origins, secrets and magic of Vesuvia. It is not, however, a history book. Instead is mostly about language magic and Cassano’s own theories about how to interject with the magic of the Canals if needed. It also has the knowledge passed down from Count to Count, because the Consul has always been supposed to be privy of it, because the Consul has always been supposed to rule in absence or incapacitation of the Count or their heirs.

This book has never left the hands of the Cassano family, except for a brief period during the life of Vitale Cassano (Anatole’s great great grandfather). In the Janiverse (@apprenticealec​‘s and my Arcanaverses combined) the book is stolen by the Scholars of the Sea Palace, but Amparo Mediavilla, wife of Vitale intercepts the middle man before it’s too late. In my regular Arcanaverse, it is taken for similar reasons, and Amparo still retrieves it.

Count Sibona also described her as a mongoose with the skin of a woman.

Her name became a surname with her brother Nora (the youngest), who takes after her as the Consul for around ten years before a niece replaces him. Nora introduced himself as “Nora, Brother of Cassano” which got constricted to Nora Cassano. Kin of Cassano was also very normal to refer to both her family and friends by Aristocrats so it stuck

#the arcana #the arcana oc #the arcana worldbuilding #my writing #cassano arianamenzi #the radosevic-cassano

[nadiaportia]

Ximena Rubalcaba

art by magician-of-the-lantern

The disgraced exile with a past she’d rather keep hidden.

Other bios: Sayelle | Deirdra | Heloisa | Cibela

Full name: Ximena María Magdalena de Rubalcaba y Saavedra

Meaning of name: 

Ximena: Basque variant of Simone, meaning “one who has heard”

María Magdalena: Spanish variant of Mary Magdalene, derived of “of Magdala”, a village whose name means “tower” in Old Hebrew

Family: 

Heloisa and Cibela de Rubalcaba: Ximena’s elder sisters, Heloisa by 6 and Cibela by 12 years. In her youth and early adulthood, due to being closer in age she spent more time with Heloisa than with Cibela, to whom she did look up though as a role model as well as Cibela being more introverted like her in contrast to the very extroverted Heloisa. Cibela was mostly absent during her childhood, whereas she and Heloisa spent most of their free time, and tutor-free time together.

Marisol de Rubalcaba (deceased): Her mother and the former Marquesa de Rubalcaba. Having immense favouritism for her firstborn, Marisol was rather distant towards her younger daughters but would try to be an affectionate mother towards them.

Valentín Saavedra (deceased): Ximena’s late father and a sea-faring merchant prince from the higher Cartagense bourgeoisie. Like his wife, Valentín favored his eldest daughter yet tried to encourage all of his daughters’ ambitions and work. Ximena is said to be similar to him in terms of personality.

Esmerelda de Rubalcaba: The matriarch in-all-but-name of the Rubalcaba family, Marisol’s older sister and Ximena’s aunt. Esmerelda is arguably the most central maternal figure in her life, even more than her own mother, and her primary tutor. She was the one who recognized Ximena’s affinity for magic and gave her vital support when she entered the Magician’s Guild.

Agustín de Rubalcaba: Esmerelda’s only son and Ximena’s cousin. A diplomat that wasn’t under his mother’s wing unlike his cousins, he is very affectionate towards Ximena and fulfills the role of an older brother for her as well as being her only connection to her family after her exile.

Segismundo: Ximena’s familiar whom she found in the rainforests of Northern Calpacia sometime after her exile as a hatchling and nursed him back to health. Their connection is deep and he is both trusting and protective of her.

Others: Constanza de Rubalcaba (maternal grand-mother, deceased), Cristobal de Rubalcaba (maternal uncle, deceased), Máximo de Otxoa (maternal grand-father, deceased), Jaime Saavedra (paternal uncle), Genoveva Saavedra (paternal aunt), Dulcinea Saavedra (paternal grand-mother, deceased), Leonardo Buendía (paternal grand-father), Catalina Saavedra (paternal grand-aunt), Aníbal Heßling de Cordovero (brother-in-law)

Nicknames: Xime (used by both friends and lovers), Ximenita (used by family, especially since she is the youngest among her generation), Marilena (exclusively used by her mother and her aunt)

Favourite meal: Tamales de pollo

Favourite drink: Cartagense liquor

Favourite flower: White Plumeria

Favourite color: Cerulean

Birthday: 20th of November

Age: 37 during the events of the game

Zodiac: Scorpio

MBTI: INTP

Patron Arcana: Death and the King of Cups

Upright: Death reaps that which has run its course, allowing new life to grow in the space left behind.

Reversed: Death turns his back on his duty, allowing things to fester and rot in his negligence.

Upright: The King of Cups is generous and compassionate, yet never allows his emotions to overwhelm his sense.

Reversed:  The King of Cups manipulates the emotions of others callously, twisting them to fit his own agenda.

Gender: Cis female

Sexuality: Bisexual

Height: 1,65 m // 5′4″

Appearance:

Ximena is of rather slender build. Her skin is medium brown with a warm undertone and she has a round face with a rounded chin. She has a beauty mark underneath the outer corner of her left eye and an upturned nose with a low bridge. Her eyes are a color similar to dark honey and she has full lips. Her eyebrows are thick and dark, groomed but not thinned, and she has bags underneath her eyes. Her black hair is long and curly with the occasional grey hair, especially near her temples. 

She usually wears golden hoop earrings and several golden rings on her fingers. She wears a bit of eyeliner and darkened lipstick.

She gives off the impression of being rather serene and after her exile purposely tries to change the way she spoke and held herself in order to appear less like an aristocrat and more like a commoner.

Visual Inspirations: Tessa Thompson and America Ferrera

Languages spoken: Calpacian, Prakran, Firenti, Karnasso, Galbradan, Hjallen, Nopali, Nevivish, Venterran, Oriolà, Zadithi and the Common Tongue

Magical abilities:

due to the Cartagense Magician’s Guild being rather pragmatic, she is not as versatile in her skills but honed those that she is good at so well that it makes her a master in the area

high intuition and good knowledge of people, to the point that she can feel when someone is lying to her

very perceptive and aware of her surroundings

fire-based offensive magic; used to replace her profound lack of physical combat skills

Love interests:

Out of the Main 6, while I mostly ship her with Lucio (since I am rewriting his route with her as the primary main character) and Asra (her ex), her dynamics with Nadia and Portia could leave the possibility for romance open.

Isidora: An OC of mine who was once very close friends with Xime as well as colleagues on whom she had eventually not unrequited feelings.

In general, like with most of my characters; if they’re compatible sexuality- as well as personality-wise, feel free to ship them with your OCs or MCs! Hit me up with a message and we can discuss the details! 

Backstory: 

Born into the influential aristocratic Rubalcaba family based in Cartagenth, the capital of the Calpacian Empire in the West, Ximena received an extensive education and since she had the most affinity to magic within her family, a vast tutoring in magic while her sisters were put on other carreer tracks. The Rubalcabas have had a presence ever since the founding of Cartagenth thanks to Fairuza, one of the city’s original founders, and then with Xochitl I., who was rumored to be the primary force behind the union of various kingdoms into what became Calpacia. They have centuries long history of being close to Calpacia’s sovereign, the Zaan, and involvement in politics, the military and on very rare occasions the Magician’s Guild of Cartagenth, where Ximena was meant to eventually become Head of the Guild and a vital instrument in the plans her aunt Esmerelda had for her, her sisters and the fate of all of Calpacia.

Mostly due to their riches, privilege and upbringing, the climate in Ximena’s family was a rather toxic one, with a centuries-old legacy hanging over them like a Damocles sword and envy, entitlement, jealously, sabotage and power struggles running rampant among them. Esmerelda’s desire to cement her family’s position and ensure their survival in the cut-throat environment in the Cartagense court as well as wanting to function as the driving force behind the pillars of powers saw her mercilessly using her family and to see them as little more than pawns to be utilized to achieve the desired goal. 

Being maneuvered like a puppet made Ximena resent her family; her sisters for refusing to lean against it or even relishing in it, her parents for tolerating this and her aunt for being a manipulative force of nature. The straw that broke the camel’s back occurred weeks before her coronation as Head of the Guild where a vision came to her during a reading and showed how she would use her magic and that of the Guild to help in fighting a total war against everyone who refused to kneel to Cartagense’s power, resulting in the deaths of countless people - and herself as one of those who were supposed to carry on this blood-stained legacy. The refusal to partake in such future atrocities and the secret reveal of plans by the War Council to actually provoke a conflict and throw the country into total warfare caused Ximena to have her status as noblewoman taken from her and be banished from Cartagenth… or clean up her act, beg for forgiveness and mercy from her family and have the chance to correct her mistakes. That choice presented by her aunt in a final confrontation was refused and so Ximena, once a lady, now a nobody, fled Cartagenth.

Having to pretend to be a commoner was difficult at first but soon became a necessity, as well as having to adopt a different identity to make it beyond the Calpacian borders. Meeting her familiar and having someone in whom to confide absolutely everything was a much needed outlet for her, and some years her only constant companions were Segismundo, for whom she would’ve laid down her life, and the fear of being discovered by Calpacian spies even outside of the empire. She met Asra when contemplating to escape to Hjalle and from there on to the eastern countries beyond Nevivon and continue to live her life in anonymity, but decided to return with him to Vesuvia, a city of which she knew Calpacia fostered no diplomatic relations with. Her relationship with Asra at some point transcended mere friendship but even when that ended, they always remained amicable with each other and arguably the most important person in each other’s lives. The building in which Asra and she eventually opened as their ship was a gift from Agustín who was the only person from her old life Ximena ever contacted through magical and untraceable means. In Vesuvia, she also met magician and professional medium Sayelle bint Zahir from the city state of Bizatena at the Eastern Coast, and another exile from their respective home country, Deirdra Margalit of Calpacia’s neighboring kingdom Oriol.

She died from the Red Plague at the age of 34 while trying help Julian, with whom she had common friends, to find a cure for the illness that had already claimed thousands within the city. The efforts of those close to her did little in preventing her passing, and yet she woke up a year later with no memory of her previous life, her friends and the bond to her familiar being severed beyond repair.

More art:

feat. Heloisa by @missrabbitart​ | full post

feat. Lucio by @cherrygirl666​ | full post including the uncut nsfw version

#the arcana #the arcana fan apprentice #the arcana oc #other people's ocs #ximena rubalcaba #i heard from multiple people that they couldn't assess the other bio since it was a subpage on my blog and mobile doesnt fuck w that #so there we gooooo... repolished and with an actual structure LOL

[one-leaf-grimoire]

crocodile tears

Chapter 1: in which marina has the worst day of her life

Hi! And welcome! Yes, I am publishing the first chapter of this fic on my Black Clover blog, I know it’s a little bizarre. Ahem. Anyway- I hope you guys will read this and enjoy it if you like jojo! I know there’s plenty of overlap between these two fandoms. DM or inbox me if you’d like to be added to the taglist! 

Synopsis: Marina considers herself to be a normal teenager, despite both being the daughter of a senator and the center of many bizarre happenings throughout her life. However, everything gets turned upside down when her whole family is kidnapped. In that moment of fear, something within her awakens. Little does she know, this power is called a Stand, and she has caught the eye of the worst person imaginable. Marina must learn to master her stand, and decide where her loyalties lie: with the man who saved her life or with her newfound friends?

Warnings: Violence, frightening scenes, language, and Dio being toxic lol

March 6th, 1988

Cool water enveloped her body. Everything was cloaked in a sea green haze.

She was laying on the bottom of the riverbed, staring up at the muted sun. A crocodile swam by, almost lazily. It did not notice her, and she didn't feel scared.

It was just a crocodile.

"Marina... Marina, wake up already!"

Something cold and clammy grasped the 17-year-old girl's foot. Marina let out a scream and quickly recoiled under the soft white linens on her bed. "Five more minutes, mom!"

Marina’s mother scowled at her only daughter. She was already dressed in long, light pants and a tropical looking shirt. An over-sized hat adorned her head atop dark brown hair, a few shades lighter than her only daughter's. "Marina, we have five minutes before the ship docks. Dad's already gone up to eat."

"Well, that's just Dad," the girl grumbled back, pulling the covers more tightly around her shoulders, as if this cocoon would keep her safe from her mother's impending wrath. "He gets up early every day, that shouldn't mean that we also have to be up at the crack of dawn."

"It's not the crack of dawn, it's nearly ten o'clock already. The ship is running a little early, so we'll have more time to explore Alexandria."

Marina's only reply was a grunt. Her mother sighed. "What is it with you this morning?" She shook her head and swung her bag over her shoulder. "I'll be up on the top deck watching us dock. It's nice and warm outside, so dress accordingly. We'll see you in five minutes, or it's going to be a very long time before you get to go on another cruise, young lady." A few moments later, and the door shut.

Marina groaned and finally blinked her eyes open, immediately feeling the pounding pain of a migraine wash over her temple. Ouch... did I have a nightmare last night? Usually I sleep like a baby on these cruises.

Marina and her family had been on numerous cruises throughout her life. Her father, Mitchell Porosus was a state senator, and earned a comfortable paycheck, so the Porosus family was able to go on trips whenever congress was on a break. Marina wished her dad was around more, but overall the family dynamic was happy and harmonious. Marina had her 17th birthday recently, and this cruise was supposed to be a celebration of that. 

“You know what that means?” her father had told her that day. “You’re the same age as the Dancing Queen! You know, the song? Dancing Queeeen, young and sweeet, only seventeeen-”

Of course they were in public when they said that, so Marina was horribly embarrassed by her father’s terrible singing voice. For someone with a public reputation, he sure didn’t mind ruining it!

But in the end, it was sweet. Her father loved ABBA and Elton John, and Marina imagined that the two of them would dance to Dancing Queen or Tiny Dancer at her wedding.

Marina loved her dad and mom, and that was the reason why she finally dragged herself down from the bunkbed. From their room on the second level, she could see the dock inching closer and closer. With a yawn, Marina turned and walked into the bathroom, where she finally was able to look upon her tired face in the mirror. Her short, black hair was frizzled, but a few brush strokes later reverted it to its usual sleek form. Marina stretched her arms above her head, wincing a little as she heard her shoulders pop. Jeez, good thing I don’t have a swim meet today, my joints are all out of whack. Her blue-grey eyes, still bloodshot from a fitful sleep, harbored a major case of the dark circles. Nothing a little makeup couldn't fix.

A few minutes later, Marina was finally dressed in some high waisted jeans and a non-descript tank top. She had her trusty mirrored sunglasses on, yet the sunlight from the window was enough to make her eyes water. Leaving her room, she walked down the hallway, strutting with her hands deep in her pockets, her fingers running over the ID card given to her upon embarkation. Marina Porosus.

"Finally, there you are," her father greeted when she made it down to the gangway. "Ready to see Egypt?"

Her father was a tall man, with jet black hair like Marina's. While her mother's eyes were a warm brown, his were blue. He looked like your stereotypical senator, even if he didn’t act like it.”

"Do they even have any pyramids in this town?" Marina asked, a bit apathetically.

Her mother shook her head. "No pyramids, but there used to be a library here, the library of Alexandria!"

Marina raised an eyebrow. "Used to be? Well, what's here now?"

Her parents were at a loss for words. "Well, why don't we go see!" her father exclaimed optimistically, throwing his arms around his daughter and wife. 

For the first time that morning, Marina smiled. Even if it was just her parents and her, the three of them would have a good time.

Alexandria was lively place, full of noise and life. Most of it was centered around the port, where the single cruise ship was docked. It was like any other port Marina had visited, except the air was much more dry than the Caribbean. Even Italy was more humid. Marina walked behind her parents as they made their way farther inland. “There’s some ancient ruins I want to check out,” her father said excitedly. “And are you still curious about the Library of Alexandria, Marina?”

Marina shrugged. “Was I curious to begin with?”

“Yes!” her father asserted. “Anyway, there’s a museum all about it farther inland. The walk is a little long, but it’ll be fun!”

Marina sighed, shaking her head a little. She knew her father had enough money to rent a cab, but he was stubborn and insisted that walking “built character.” 

“Tarot card readings! Have your fortune told by the Tarot!”

For some reason, Marina’s feet stalled. Slowly, she stopped, then turned her head towards the source of the voice.

No... it wasn’t the voice that drew her there.

It was... something else.

Like magnetism. Gravity. Marina’s gaze fell upon a short, clocked figure, sitting at the mouth of an alley. The voice was feminine, wracked with age, but Marina couldn’t be sure. For a moment, she almost kept walking, but a moment of hesitation was all it took.

“Dad! Can I get my fortune told?”

Her parents stopped and looked back at her. Her father eyed the fortune teller suspiciously. “Ah, Marina, you don’t believe that stuff, do you?”

“So? It’ll still be fun.” Marina looked back over at the fortune teller. She still had that weird feeling, like that person was someone she knew. “Anyway, Tarot Card readings originated in ancient Egypt, so isn’t this a good experience to have while here?”

Well, her father couldn’t deny that. “Here-” He handed the cloaked figure a twenty dollar bill. “Will this suffice?”

“Certainly.” A deck of cards appeared from under the sleeve of their cloak, and instantly shuffled itself. They spread out across the makeshift table. A wrinkled hand gestured at the line. “Go ahead... pick three, my dear.”

Slowly, Marina reached down. With one finger, she slid one card forward, then another, and then a third. The fortune teller swept them up immediately and placed them face up. Marina’s eyes narrowed as she saw the pictures on the cards, but couldn’t read the writing on them. “So? What does it mean?”

With a soft chuckle, a withered finger pointed at the first. “This card represents your past... This is the Six of Wands card! Confidence, recognition, and success... you’ve known all three throughout your life.”

Marina gulped, shrugging a little. Maybe... but everyone’s had some sort of success in their life! That seems a little too broad.

“And this is the present-” They gestured at the middle card. “This is the Tower Card... it represents catastrophic change, and... awakening.”

Awakening? That’s interesting... I don’t know what that could be.

“Tell me...” Marina looked up to see an eye peering out from behind the hood. It narrowed curiously. “This card is one of the Major Arcana... it represents a milestone in your life. You must have noticed, then... even if you don’t know quite yet...”

Marina wasn’t sure she liked the way the fortune teller was spinning this. I haven’t noticed anything like that! “Okay... and the last card is the future?”

“Yes, yes...”

The fortune teller’s finger fell upon the face of the last card. Unlike the first two, it was reversed, facing away from Marina. “This card, when reversed, represents dissatisfaction, delays, and... an endless, fruitless search for closure.”

Marina felt a chill go down her neck.

“The World.”

The family left the fortune teller behind after that. Even as they searched farther inland, visiting temples and museums, Marina could not shake the slowly growing pit of dread in her stomach. 

A few hours later, it was almost time to get back on the ship. The problem was that the small family had made their way a little too far inland and were now in real danger of being left behind. 

"This is all your fault, dad!" Marina scolded as she jogged behind her parents. There was a taxi station nearby where they could get transport to the port. "You always geek out over this historical stuff and make us late to things!"

"Well, your mother wanted to get that hat from that store back there, too, so I'm not the only one to blame," he yelled back. "In any case, we can just hop on a taxi and-" His face fell, and the family skidded to a halt. The entire plaza was slammed, bumper to bumper traffic as far as they could see. "Mitchell, we're definitely going to miss the boat," her mom said quietly. Of course, Senator Porosus stayed enthusiastic, shaking his head. "No, we'll make it if we run."

Marina groaned as her father and mother started to run again. "Seriously?" It wasn't that Marina couldn't keep up; she had been swimming her entire life and had great stamina. It was just so damn hot out.

"If you hurry, we'll make it back in time for dinner," her mother encouraged, spurring Marina on into a true run.

With her dad leading the way, the trio raced down the street towards where they thought the port was. There were a lot of people walking on the sidewalks, but it wasn't hard to weave between them without disturbance. Marina craned her neck and, with a ton of relief, spied the top of their ship up ahead. "I can see it, Dad!" she exclaimed, already thinking about what she was going to eat for dinner tonight. "We're going to make it!"

"Here, let's cut through this road." He pointed at an alley that seemingly cut over to where the embarkation area was. "We can beat some of the line as well."

"Perfect!" Marina changed course and ran ahead of her parents and into the alleyway.

For a moment, the sounds of the busy streets died away, leaving only three pairs of footsteps slapping their way down the stone path. The buildings on either side were tall enough to block out the afternoon sun, leaving them in a comfortable chill.

Up ahead was a corner. Marina quickened her pace and turned into...

A dead end.

"Shit," her dad exclaimed, earning him a sharp kick in the shin from his wife. "Ah, excuse my french. Back luck, huh." He shrugged, ever optimistic. "Well, I guess we can double back and keep running."

"Yeah," Marina’s mom agreed.

Marina sighed. What a let down! Well, it wouldn't take too long to get back, at least, at this rate we’ll make in in time-

Marina turned around to see that five men, all armed with guns, had cornered them in the dead end.

"Look at this, just the man we were looking for!” one of them pointed at Marina’s dad. “This is the senator we were told to capture? He doesn’t look like much.”

“Don’t worry, this is him... Senator Porosus, a friend of yours sends this message:” one of the men grinned. “You’ve been in my way for too long, Mitch. It’s time for me to put the fear of God in you. Enjoy your extended stay in Egypt!”

“What? Who hired you?” Mitchell gulped and pulled his wife and daughter behind him. Marina felt her mom's cold hand clutch her arm. This time, she didn't try to shrug it off. “I’ve done nothing but get along with everyone. They all want to see me reach the top! I’m gonna be President one day-”

“We’ll see about that.” The man in charge raised his gun. “For now, come to our truck. We’ll make you and your family comfortable until someone generous pays your ransom.”

Oh no, they had a truck somewhere.

"Look... I don’t care what you do to me.” Senator Porosus said, his voice shaking a little. For someone in so much danger, he was staying pretty composed. “But leave my family out of it!”

“Mitchell-” Marina’s mother whispered, her grip on Marina loosening slightly. “Just do what they say, and-” She was cut off with a scream as one of the men yanked her away from her family.

Marina's eyes widened. Shit! This is actually happening- It was like a scene from a movie, some horrible, scary movie, and panic spiked through Marina’s veins. "MOM! DAD!" Someone grabbed Senator Porous as well, and now two more were advancing towards Marina.

"Don’t even try, you’re just going to get hurt!” one of the guys said with a twisted grin. Marina screamed and struggled anyway as her arms were twisted behind her body. 

No... NO!

This wasn’t how it was supposed to be. This was supposed to be their last stop before flying home, where Marina would finish up the year and enjoy the summer with her friends. But now-

Catastrophic change... and-

With one last burst of strength, Marina wrenched her arm away, freeing herself for a moment. She turned around, her eyes wide and crazed with adrenaline.

Awakening.

The gun leveled at her head was suddenly crunched into a flat piece of scrap metal. The man holding it didn’t have a moment to realize what had happened, because numerous spots of his arm suddenly burst with blood.

He opened his mouth to scream, stumbling back, but it was as if something was clamped down on his arm, hard. Bones crunched as he was suddenly wrenched to the side, and the movement sent him flying into the nearby brick wall.

Marina froze.

What- what on earth-

But then something hit her in the back of the head, hard, and she fell back down to the bottom of the river.

The crocodile continued to circle high above.

And that’s chapter one!!!! I hope you guys are intrigued 0.0 Please comment/inbox/etc if you have any theories or thoughts, I always appreciate them! I’ll probably post the next chapter on Friday. I changed a couple things to make the story flow better than it did when I first released it. Anyway, see you next time!

Also, did anyone catch the meaning of Marina’s last name? hehe...

#jojo's bizarre adventure #fic #crocodile tears #oc: marina #jjba

[jq37]

May we have a recap, please? :)

**spoilers for panic at the art show and home for the holidays**

OK people. I actually don’t have a ton of commentary on these two so I’m gonna try and keep it (relatively) short and sweet [Edit from Future Me: Failed Step 1].

Also, iirc, this is the week Dropout starts streaming new Fantasy High eps on Wednesdays which is very dope and I am very excited for. I probably won’t do full on recaps like I do for normal eps because, lbr, I don’t strictly have the time to be recapping these eps at all and it’s pure stubbornness that keeps me from making wiser time management decisions. But, rest assured, if I have an Opinion, you will hear it whether you want to or not. 

Anyway, on with the show. 

Last recap, I mentioned that this ep was giving me Aelwen house party vibes and now it reminds me of that ep in another way: Everyone rolled like TRASH almost the entire ep. It was so frustrating! They barely got any hits in until like halfway through the ep.

(Aw man, I just realized I’m gonna have to remember which spelling of Aelwen is correct again now that FH is coming back.)

I love how Murph is immediately like, “I need to make sure my wife doesn’t die during this fight avenging her fictional husband.”

Isabella also has Aelwen’s trick of poofing around the battlefield which is annoying as hell (ha) for the group.

Siobhan hilariously casts fear on Priya just to be spiteful. I thought she was doing it to help the evac process but no. It was a purely spiteful action. Bless. 

When Kug turns into an ape he, of course, turns into *the* NY ape, King Kong. 

“I roll a nat 20 on an epic shit.”

When Brennan was describing Kingston’s spectral New Yorker Guardians I was already thinking about that one part of Spiderman 2 (the OG Toby Mac version) and then he straight up said, “You mess with one of us, you mess with all of us,” and I lost it.

“Deny the stairs the pleasure of my feet.” Emily is a poet.

I want to know what makes a pigeon spicy more than anything. 

The fact that Brennan killed Ox AGAIN and then immediately looked into the camera and let the audience know the dog was fine because he clearly Oracle stared into the future between eps and saw the entire internet sharpening their pitchforks  was so funny. 

About midway through the ep, Pete tries and fails to send Isabella back to hell and Isabella starts monologing about her plans and connection with Robert Moses (she stole the list from Santa and is/was gonna marry Moses apparently). I wonder if Brennan was like, “These players are for sure gonna murder her without getting any useful info out of her unless she goes full Bond Villain right now.”

And, proving my point, Emily immediately does 56 points of damage, royally f-ing Isabella up. 

This is a really civilian heavy fight which feels weird in a way the FH fights never did. Like, these aren’t even civilians who live in an adventuring town in a fantasy world. These are just normal ass civilians in the wrong place at the wrong time. 

Pete fails a wild magic roll after failing to teleport into the building and then gets a choice of getting really strong (which prob would have let him bust down the door) or to teleport in (which is what he does and exactly what he wanted). Very clutch when the dice rolls play into the story like that.

Kingston lightning bolts Isabella’s hair off which is just malicious but also totally called for.

On her next turn, Sophie gets hurt on purpose to get low enough to activate her ring, lets her hair burn for long enough to shorten it to a cute bob, insults Isabella, then knocks her tf out. 

I love that Emily took one of her teeth (a seemingly crazy move) and when called out by Lou was like, “It’s a link to Robert Moses” (a completely reasonable answer). That’s the Axford one-two punch.  

I didn’t mention it before but, Willie the golem is here, first immobile but then brought back by Misty. Post fight, he says he was somehow brought here by one of the evil factions of the city and says they’ll talk about it later. Also, Misty makes out with him (DON’T KINKSHAME HER).

With a high insight roll, Kingston is able to deduce that the group was ambushed (though not by Priya) and that their victory was a really important one for the fate of the city. 

(Sidenote: The amount that Pete is Over Priya in this ep is so funny.)

Back at Wally’s (which is where Kug is now staying) Wally has gotten Kug a dog bed to sleep in and fancy charcuterie cheese because he and Ricky are the only pure-hearted people in NYC. 

At the same time, Pete and Kingston have a very sweet heart to heart and then settle down at Kingston’s place to chill and listen to jazz. Idk how else we expected this to resolve, considering this is a Brennan Lee Mulligan DM’d show where the sacred pillars are Teamwork, Friendship, Communication, and Making up an NPC on the Fly Because One of Your PC’s Decided to do an Insane Thing. 

Next up is the Christmas ep and Brennan, Emily, and Zac are in sweaters for the occasion. 

Well,actually it’s the 21st and Emily immediately clocks that that’s the solstice. 

Are cookies the good carb?/Absolutely not. But have fun with your life. (I love Ricky’s soft jock energy.)

“I run deliveries,” Pete says to Kingston’s parents, not technically lying but also not being completely truthful. Misty would be proud. 

Going over to Misty, it seems pretty clear at this point (and it’s confirmed in the promo for next ep) that Misty’s fairy business is some kind of de-aging/reincarnation for herself. I wonder how many of these she’s done so far. She said she’s been around for, what? 200, 300 years? Assuming she’s been doing then reincarnations at about 65-70 years old and she reincarnates to around 25? Maybe 6 times? Idk. Just spitballing. 

Saucer of milk to keep the faeries from stealing her (non-existing) children. Faerie lore is wild y'all. 

Did you take another level of warlock?/Yeah bitch.

The fact that since Sophie has joined a monastery, she’s only taken Warlock levels and no Monk levels is very funny from a story perspective. It’s like, she finally comes to this sacred place to be trained to her full potential and she’s just spending what should be her sparring time playing with her cat in exchange for spells. Wild. 

Emily’s cat-like, self-satisfied grin when Brennan is like, “So you just jerry-rigged yourself clairvoyance powers, huh?” is so good. 

And she did it on the fly because Emily Axford is winning D&D. There are no points but she’s winning.

So, uh, Emily does, two things, very in character right after the other:

Thing number one: She send her unseen servant to spy on her family. Her dad seems hardline, “F, Dale. Whatever. Family first. She needs to get over it.” On the other side of the spectrum is her mom who is very upset about the whole affair with her siblings falling in the middle. 

The second thing she does, very casually I might add, is have her unseen servant BURN DOWN HER HOUSE SO SHE CAN COMMIT INSURANCE FRAUD.

EMILY

Everyone loses their minds and rightfully so. What a wild-ass swing that no one could have seen coming. I love it. 

“I look in my backpack which is now my home[…]" 

I almost forgot that Ricky was a fire fighter who would not abide that nonsense until Brennan decided to cut to him. 

Ricky just dolphin swims across the Hudson in 2.5 mins to go put out the fire that Sophie set. Amazing. 

Ally mocking Emily/Sophie: Truthfully, I don’t know what happened.

"I love John McClane, because he loves his wife.” WALLY

Wally: Oh we’re gonna tell a lie on Christmas.

“This is what winning looks like.”

I would really like to know what trace stuff what on the drugs Pete got from 7 but Ally rolled too low to figure it out.

“I disassociate fully." 

Well it took him a long ass time but glad to have Pete on the selling drugs to kids is bad train. Choo-choo, dude. 

7 saying you can hack in real life in reference to his AK-47 has the same energy as Hardison using the word hack in literally any semi-weird episode of Leverage. 

SOCIAL MEDIA IS VOLUNTARY PANOPTICON

So Kug goes with Wally to David’s house disguised as a dog and, despite that, blurts out that he’s his dad immediately. Well, he tries to. The Umbral Arcana stops him, unfortunately. 

"I lick my son’s face.” KUUUUG. 

Sophie showing up with a raw goose and hellish rebuking it is so metal and it’s a shame no one got to appreciate it. 

Me when Sophie’s Mom changes into black top in solidarity for Sophie’s mourning: F EVERY OTHER NON-SOPHIE BICICLETA. I RESPECT YOU. 

Kingston is hustling very hard to get his man Pete a job which is a very Kingston move. That’s how guys like that show affection. 

Didn’t mention it before but Kingston’s parents and Mom specifically adopting Pete is very cute. 

Sidenote: Idk what 7 was talking about Pete trying to stay low profile. He wears a cowboy hat (now a ZEBRA STRIPED one, courtesy of Kingston). I think the subtlety train has sailed my guy. 

Esther shows up at the firehouse, carrying presents for her mom and grandma and looking for Ricky. The says that she’s kinda dealing with something and it feels good to be around him (beat) magically speaking. Sure. I’m gonna keep my Hercules soundtrack on hand just in case anyway. 

I think Ricky is the only person who, with no pretense, could give his crush a sexy calendar featuring him.

Anyway, turns out Esther’s mom and grandma are the furies of Tompkins Square and she’s fated to join them or something. 

Esther causally: I defy you, I defy the prophecy.

The fury thing would explain why Esther’s mom would have cursed Kug. They are famously magical punishers.  

Ricky is a magically certified Good Boy but we been knew.

Zac’s restraint to respect Esther’s personal boundaries in lieu of getting a lore drop to stay true to Ricky’s character is amazing. Mad props.

So we slide over to Misty’s Christmas party which Stephen Sondhein is attending and him having a character card kinda killed me. 

There’s a post on tumblr somewhere about playing faerie  incapability for impoliteness against a vampires need to be invited in and that’s what I thought about when Moses and his vamp friends showed up at Misty’s house.

Robert tries to talk Misty into striking a deal with him for protection from Titania. She’s very much not having it.  

“You know Robert, I love a comedy and I love a farce. I’d like to remind you of who it is that started this and it’s not me and it’s not my friends but I can assure you Robert Moses that we will be the ones to end it if you do not. Do you understand me?” Damn. That’s a mic drop from Misty. 

[As I’m editing this, I’m realizing I somehow lost a BIG chunk of text. I’m not gonna write it all up again but the Cliffnotes are as follows:

Between the Solstice and Christmas, the gang goes Grand Central Station to see the clockwork gnomes that live there because trouble is apparently afoot. Some size changing nonsense happens and Pete shoots a dog (with mini bullets, the dog is fine). Lou is enchanted even though Kingston is not (a common theme with him). Ally and Emily are on the same nonsense wavelength (as usual). 

There are dope magical dragon trains under Grand Central Station that go to the shadow realm which is a place I’d like to know about. Kingston has never seen these trains before even though you’d really think he would have.  

Murph says Gnome Rights which is wild if you know what Naddpod is like. 

Anyway, the high priestess of the gnomes passed out the other day and they figure out it was due to pixie magic which is suspicious. They also know they pixies have access to a “time stone” which leads me to believe that it’s Brennan and not Aguefort who thinks that Chronomancy is the most powerful magic of all. 

Sophie and Jackson go to Dale’s grave on Christmas. Jackson explains that the Order of the Concrete Fist is basically a literal school of hard knocks. A counterbalance to all the reach for the stars dreaminess that comes with NYC.

Dale was their chosen one who was supposed to stop the monastery from falling when some unspecified badness crossed over to this side, but when he went to the place where he was supposed to get guidance, there was no one there (clearly tying in to what Dale said to Sophie last time they talked. I wonder what she needs to get to the top of? Empire State maybe?).

Watching Murph watching Emily, his real life spouse, play at grief for her fictional husband and do some truly insane things is so funny because you can clearly see him thinking, “I am married to this woman,” which, in fairness, is probably the main thing he’s thinking when he’s playing D&D with Emily.

I’m probably missing something but that’s all I remember. Back to post-Christmas!]

So it’s opening night at Misty’s show and, somehow, Ricky’s first show ever. 

I love that Don Confetti is there because of Siobhan’s offhanded comment for a handful of eps ago about him being a supporter of the arts.

Anyway, everything is going great until the second act when Titania busts in through the mirror which is *not* is storage as Misty requested but on stage. It’s a theater fight, y'all! And not the West Side Story kind although if that doesn’t come up I will be very surprised. 

“Let’s kill Titania!” –Misty in the promo

Just going straight to 11, huh Misty?

See y'all then!

#dimension 20 #the unsleeping city #d20 #asks #kickmuncher3

[bleepbloo]

Season Episodes of Second Citadel (Part 2)

Continuation of Part 1 [here]

Recommend reading that first otherwise this will not make ANY SENSE.

Same warnings of Part 1 still apply, as do the conditions and such. Extremely speculative, and published (1/1/2020)

Note: Purely personal feelings- this second half of the season is going to be SUPER ROUGH. 

(Happy new year)

~~~

5 - The Hanged Man, Death, Temperance

The Hanged Man: A statement

Positive: Martyrdom, release, sacrifice  

Negative: Needless sacrifice, fear of sacrifice, stalling

Death: Death

Positive: End of cycle, beginnings, Change, Metamorphosis 

Negative: Fear of Change, holding on, Stagnation, Decay

Temperance: Pacing

Positive: Middle Path, Patience, finding meaning 

Negative: Extremes, Excess, Lack of Balance

Welp. 

I’ve said this before, in Part 1, but the Death card is in extreme reference to Olala, and well.

This is going to be an Olala and The Kite focus/centric episode. 

This is going to be the episode that we find out what the Kite is going to use her for- or otherwise deliver her to whoever has use for her- and finish whatever is going on with Olala in regards to the death card. 

Someone is going to die this episode, I can say that much with confidence and dread. 

However, that isn’t to say they’ll stay dead. 

6 - The Devil, The Tower, the Star

The Devil: The Darker Inside

Positive: Addiction, Materialism, Playfulness 

Negative: Freedom, Release, Restoring Control

The Tower: The Inevitable 

Positive: Sudden Upheaval, broken pride, disaster

Negative: disaster avoided, delayed disaster, fear of suffering

The Star: The Important Things

Positive: Hope, Faith, Rejuvenation 

Negative: Discouragement, insecurity, Faithlessness

Everyone.

This episode’s going to be a ****ing doozy. 

Out of all the Arcana, the Tower- across ALL decks - is THE most significant card. It is saying that- no matter what you do, no matter how you prepare, no matter anything else - it is the will of the arcana that what comes will come. 

Yeah, it’s worse/more symbolically important than death. 

So it’s at this point that our protagonists will face an upheaval not known before in Second Citadel history.

All the personal drama will probably come up at this point - Literally everything - and will hit a breaking point, because, well, the inevitable is coming. This is literally the worst possible time for drama to happen, so of course, in an attempt to retain some form of control, they’re going to take the most likely person to blame and put everything on them, regardless of whether or not they’re at fault.

This is the episode where people have to figure out their shit, and figure out what’s important to them, and I think that it may end up resulting in Sir Caroline considering quitting her Captainship/knighthood. She loves Quanyii, who’s a witch, and like. If something happens to make her realize, no, she actually loves her wife more than her job, I have no doubts in my mind Caroline will leave. 

So yeah, this episode will be intense, grab tissues and hydrate.   

7 - The Moon, The Sun, Judgement

The Moon: The Unconscious Mind

Positive: Unconscious, illusions, intuition

Negative: Confusion, fear, Misinterpretation 

The Sun: The Conscious Mind

Positive: Joy, Celebration, Success, Positiveness  

Negative: Sadness, depression, negativity 

Judgement: The Choice

Positive: Reflection, Reckoning, Awakening 

Negative: Lack of self awareness, doubt, self-loathing

Basically, what happened last episode, happened. 

Especially considering the significance of the Sun and Moon in Second Citadel Meta - what with the Moon being more a symbol of things hiding in the dark and still being able to exist, but also a denial of what you really want, but the Sun being known in your entirety, without hiding (which can be pretty terrifying) and should you be unable to handle what you want, can kill you. (Remember the Moonlit hermit? Remember Ernmark making references to how Arum parallels the Moonlit hermit?)

It will be at this point that people will be forced to chose what path to take, what they need to do to be happy

I think here, Marc is going to have to make a decision whether he actually wants to be a knight. I mean, look at what’s going on with Olala; he’s trying to protect her, when his knighthood dictates he should kill her for being...not human. 

I mean, it’s the same decision Damien, Angelo, and Caroline have to make for themselves as well, whether they want to continue to be knights, and I bet it will happen this episode. 

So like. We’ll see. 

8 - The World; Notably the only exception to the Trio Clusters

World: The End

Positive: Completion, Harmony, Fulfillment

Negative: Incompletion, No Closure 

Now, this is the end- at least, it should be.

I have no doubt that there’ll be a fourth season of the second citadel, you can quote me on this- there’s too much world for it to go ignored or to end this quickly. 

No, see, I think one of two things is going to happen:

Either 1) the East comes into prominence somehow- because of timing or what have you, and there’s going to be conflict about a new society that more or less sprung out of the ground

or 2) The Saints will come back to the world, to try and reunite with their missing sibling. 

Either way, it should be interesting, and exciting!

~~

Other things to note for the season:

I think Dampierre will get revealed to be something more than a horse this season, since Marc’s already made a reference in Episode 1 about how Dampierre’s losing their hair and that’s usually a sign of sickness in horses. 

I think the Kite will be someone significant to Sir Absolom, and will not excuse but explain some of Absolom’s behavior towards magic and monsters (and Marc). 

Finally, this season will be the determining factor as to which brother the Penumbra will set Angelo up with. Because I’ve seen people in the discord and tumblr shipping Angelo/Marc as a romantic pairing, and Angelo/Talfyrn as a queerplatonic pairing, so I’m sure if nothing else, this will be the season which tells us which pairing the penumbra will try and set up. (I’m rooting for Angelo/Talfyrn, personally, but I know it’ll be cute either way, because Angelo is cute.)

Anyway, we’ll see come this year what happens! Take care y’all!

#second citadel #bleepbloo theories #second citadel meta #second citadel spoilers

[multishippers-trash-blog]

Phantom Of The Arcana (PART 2)

( @countlucioheadcanons <3 

PART ONE )

The hallway is cold, but the light that comes from the torches graze me with a bit of warmth. Silently, I curse myself for wearing such light and skimpy clothing. A white linen dress that was supposed to look like my night gown and a small linen jacket, my outfit to go out with Julian.

My thoughts were instantly cut off when the burning gaze of my master, or this phantom I should say locked gazes onto me once more, though he wore a blindfold, with a beautiful headdress only to give him a form a elegance beyond no other.

As he led me down the many corridors, hallways and down and down flights of stairs. I felt my head begin to spin when I tried to remember every turn we took, it felt like we’ve just been walking I circles for a while now until I felt something wet at my feet.

“Water…?” I question, slowly turning to look at him as he could only smile at me and pull a boat into view.

“Thought my piece of art would like a gondola ride, but because I cannot go inside, I do hope this is acceptable.” My Angel spoke and I nodded slightly, once the boat was ready for us to get on, he held out his hand for me for to take.

I turn my head back, wondering if Julian was looking for me, only to feel His gloved hand gently grasp my chin and turn me to look back at him.

“Don’t look back into the light, it will blind my finest piece of artwork.” He whispered softly, dragging his gloved hand sensually down my neck, then onto my shoulder where he hesitated for a few seconds only to feel the hand slide down my arm and firmly grasp my wrist.

Once onto the boat, I began to look around in hopes of finding something interesting about this wet, dark and barely illuminated corridor. Besides the fact that it was on water, just to hear my angels’ voice echo around the empty walls of cobblestone filled my heart with a sense of overflowing joy.

Once again, I was lost in thought and a small sigh came from my lips. That is until the loud click of a gate echoed around in the dark corridor where I turned my gaze to where the sounds of clicking echoed.

“Welcome to my home, the music of the night, where people hear me and call me the Angel of Music.” My angel spoke and I looked around, wanting to get off the boat once candles illuminated up the room for my eyes to gaze around.

Music sheets were sprawled everywhere, some having music notes on them and some blanket, some are compiled and some others are wiped in pieces. Mirrors that were covered up all around the room as a piano sat in the corner, candles illuminating everything enough for me to be able to gaze around without squinting. Everything felt… Oddly right.

Feeling a presence next to me, I looked up only to see my angel holding out his gloved hand for me to take, I take it without hesitation as he gently takes me from the boat and leads me around the small home-y area.

Though something catches my gaze, I hesitantly reach out to remove the curtain and he grabs my hand.

“Curious about this art? Here, I want to hold you when you look at it” My angel spoke, his luring voice only caused me to lean back into him as he removed the curtain, if my eyes could be plates, they would.

Behind the curtain was a very beautiful figurine of… Me… Yet what was on the figure is what shocked me the most.

A very beautiful and elegant wedding dress that wasn’t so tight nor to lose, just the most perfect amount of silk and ribbon. It was.. beautiful… Feeling my train of thought loosen, my mind swell and grow lightheaded. Within moments, I’m in my Angel’s arms, having fainted from shock.

Though when I woke once more, I was placed on a beautiful peacock bed, the finest cushions and blankets covering my form as a golden veil surrounded the bed. Confused, I stood and began to walk out and look around in hopes of remembering.

“I remember there was mist… Swirling mist upon a vast, glassy lake. There were candles all round and on the lake there was a boat… And in the boat there was a man…” I whispered, gradually growing louder once I finally get out of the room, spotting the boat and turning my head just a bit more to see someone at the Piano, fitting their headdress on.

“Who was that shape in the shadows? Whose is the face in the headdress?” I asked as I slowly walked over to the man who leaned into my touch as I gently cupped his cheeks. Though slowly, my hands snaked up to the blindfold only to remove it.

The feeling of suddenly being shoved shocked me, crashing next into a candle as he held the headdress close to my chest. Listening to my Angel scream and yell at me.

“Damn you! You little prying pandora! You little demon! Is this what you wanted to see!?” He yelled as he yanked off a curtain from a mirror, opening his eyes only for me to see a small glare of red before he closed them again and felt his way around.

“Curse you! You little lying Delilah! You little viper! Now you cannot ever be free! Damn you! Curse you!” He continued to rave on as he walked around boundlessly until he finally found a spot beside me.

I scooted back from fear of getting him a small sob of a sigh came from my lips as I gazed at him, tears running down my cheeks.

“Can you dare to think of me as a monster? This loathsome gargoyle who burns in hell but secretly years for heaven… Secretly yearns for beauty… Emma…” His tone grew softer as he looked at me, well just turned his head and I felt the disappointed look behind his hand and eyelids.

Another small sob came from me as I gently handed him the headdress. He gently grazed his hand over mine before taking his headdress and turned away from me to put it on. Slowly turning back to me, he helped me up and sighed.

“I must return you, those idiots that run my theater will be missing you” He spoke softly to me, squeezing my hand as he brought me back to the surface only to be greeted by yelling in the lobby and Portia and Mazelinka looking at me worriedly. Being taken to bed, I couldn’t imagine the hell that people were raising outside.

All I could do was sigh. Vlastomil was back and I didn’t have the leading soprano part for this play. I actually had the silent role. Putting on my makeup for my role, I could feel the piercing eyes of my master from somewhere, I knew anger raged within them.

“I’m sorry master, they didn’t let me…” I whispered to him as I got up and slipped on my outfit.

Anger flowed within Lucio’s veins as he rushed around the opera house. The play had already started, someone was in his normal seat and Emma wasn’t playing the main female role, and he had some jackass on his tail.

Making his loud announcement, make everyone in shock, including my little art piece. A small smirk played on my lips as I began to play with my new little toy.

A small growl came from Lucio as the man began to run away from him. It wasn’t long before the man had fallen into Lucio’s trap when the ballet began to play.

Screams erupted from the crowd and the dancers when the man that Lucio had just killed was dangling there on a noose, shaking around as if he were one of the dangers before being fully dropped onto the ground.

I was running around the opera house, avoiding the chaos as I felt a gloved hand grab onto me. Spinning on my heel quickly to see if it was friend or foe, I could only sigh in relief once I saw the worried face of a familiar friend. Julian.

Grabbing in his arm, I began to drag him back into the opera house, only to drag him farther up stairs back stage and up more stairs, our conversation kept short. “Why have you brought me here, Emma?” Julian asked once we were on the roof, both of us out a breath.

“Julian, I’m frightened! Last night the Angel of Music came to me and… And…” I shook my head, unable to even think of it.

“Emma… Emma.” Julian started, gently grabbing hold of my arms to pull me into a small hug.

“Emma…” I heard the voice of my master echo around the roof, a small shudder ran through me.

Julian pulled me close into a tight hug. Making sure my form was safe and secure in his arms that felt so much home. So much like the past but, this is the present. Yet… What about the future?

“Emma… I’ve waited so long to ask you, but seeing you’re in a desperate time of need of someone to hold you, watch you, protect you and shield you… Emma, I love you. Share one love and one lifetime with me? Please, thats all I ask of you” Julian whispered to me, only for me to freeze in shock. All this time, Julian has… Loved me?

“Yes! I will share one love, one lifetime with you, Julian! All I ask for is just that with you. Only you and for our future to hold prosperity between us both…” I answer him with glee, a bright and happy gleam in my eyes as I couldn’t help but wrap my arms around his neck, pulling him into a long and passionate kiss.

Its been a month since Julian has asked me to be his wife. A large smile was on my face as we walked into the ballroom, arms linked together. I’ve never felt anymore happier than this moment exactly.

Though we’re back in the place where my nightmares happen, where my angel or this phantom would follow me and whisper and sing into my ear, watch my every moment without feeling any shame.

A small shudder rippled through my body as I felt the same gaze again press against against the back of my head, my grip tightening on Julian who took notice and tried to comfort me.

“Look, my future bride is standing next to me, always looking so elegant. I’m surprised none of the women here are whispering how beautiful you are.” Julian whispered into my ear, making a small smile stretch onto my lips at his statement and weak flirting.

“Please Julian, don’t let them see. I don’t want Him to know.” I emphasized the word Him so that Julian could catch on, but his smile only  got cockier by the second.

“Emma, this is an engagement, not a crime. Emma what are you afraid of?” Julian asked, his smile being replaced with a glance of worry as I begin to pull him onto the dance floor. I could only shake my head as we begin to dance around the floor, getting some glares but I’m pretty sure its just Vlastomil getting jealous that I have Julian, and he doesn’t once again.

Smiling up at Julian, I’ve never been this happy since Julian asked me to marry him. Another moment I shall cherish as long as I possibly can. Though the moment wouldn’t last long as the lights suddenly dimmed and the brightest light was on a familiar mask.

“Its him…” I whispered to Julian who only glared at him, pulling away from me and beginning to rush off. A small sigh escapes my lips as my eyes are stuck on my master. And ONLY my master.

His gaze locks with mine, I know he’s staring right at me in amusement. His strides are slow and longing as he walks over towards me, my breath catches in my throat as his hands gently cup my cheek before sliding down to my chest, ripping the ring off from my chain around my neck.

“You cannot change! You belong to me!” He yelled in my face, tears welled up in my eyes as I watch him leave, only to see Julian jump down where my angel had left.

With Julian, Mazelinka had to save him from the maze of mirrors and light now, Mazelinka was trying to slip away from Julian by rushing through the many corridors of the opera house but Julian was persistent.

“Please! Madam Mazelinka! I need to know why he is after Emma!” Julian stated softly, following her through the halls and Mazelinka only growled.

“No! I can’t! Theres been too many accidents!” Mazelinka stated quickly, trying to close the door only for a foot to come between the door and the frame.

“Accidents?” Julian asked through gritted teeth. Mazelinka sighed softly knowing this boy wouldn’t give up when his love was on the line.

“Alright.. Come in” She whispered softly, grabbing Julian’s wrist as she brought him in and locked the door.

“It all started when I was training to be a ballerina here at the opera house. I was staying in the dormitories and… There was a circus in town, gypsies.” Mazelinka began to tell her story, putting down pictures on the table for Julian to see.

“And they called him the devil’s child.. He had unique red eyes and golden hair that seemed to be of actual gold and a missing arm.” Mazelinka explained only to shake her head slightly.

“He killed the gypsy that ran his exhibit. So I took him… I took him away from all the pain that he’s known… And hid him in here, now its his artistic domain, his playground! He’s a genius!” Mazelinka began to get all teary when she finished the story.

“Mazelinka, clearly genius had learned to madness.” Julian stated to the old woman as he left her room only to take me back home, away from the phantoms lair.

Though I could feel the cold gaze all the way home away from the opera house, all the way back home where I stayed with Julian. The burning sensation of watchful eyes that ever left my form.

#The Arcana #Phantom Of the Opera AU #Count Lucio #Julian Devorak #Phantom Of The Arcana

[ask-the-phan-site]

Phan Cam: Horizon Heist: Bonesaw McGee

>The “So You Want To Be A Wrestler” Arena, Madison Square Garden. Another season of the show was on. But before anything can happen, Bonesaw called a press conference.

Sometime ago, my manager, Ted Bardy, blackmailed me into marrying fellow wrestler, Feather Adonis. But I can’t marry her, because of what he was blackmailing me with... I’m already married with children.

>A lot of people gasped at this news. Then, Lily, Diane, Trish, and Dennis join him on stage. He introduces them.

Bonesaw: It’s true. Underneath my wrestling persona, I’m a true family man. I love my family just as much as I love wrestling. All I ask is that despite that I have a wife and kids... Nothing changes. I’m still a great wrestler. I even managed to reclaim my title as the champ after losing it to The Spider. I’m still me. I will still wrestle.

>The press were snapping picture left and right... But the McGees don’t care. Let them see the happy family.

>Backstage, the McGees met with me, Akechi, and Peter.

You should consider this an ultimate victory. Mr. Bardy is under investigation. He’ll most likely lose his job, but at least you’ll be getting a new manager.

Bonesaw: Yeah, I know. Believe it or not, she’s Crusher Hogan’s own daughter. She just graduated collage and is ready to manage a wrestler. Starting with the one her father helped into this career.

That’s good. I’m sure you’ll do great under her.

Lily: I’m sure, too.

Yeah... I guess so...

Trish: You sure seem less enthusiastic.

Diane: Of course he is, Trish. The guy was just revealed to be Spider-Man to the public and then the Phantom Thieves just up and say, “We’re going to steal yours and Harry Osborn’s hearts! Better prepare!”

Lily: Diane! Trish!

Diane and Trish: Sorry, Mom.

Lily: Anyway, I’m glad you came out about this, Booth. Guess that means no more rushed visits, no more secret phone calls. It’s just going to be us.

Bonesaw: You bet, baby... Kids, go find your seats.

Diane: Okay, Dad.

>With that, the kids leave for the stands.

Ren: Why just send the kids?

Bonesaw: Because I wanted to thank you. More than you ever know. You helped me remember why I got into wrestling and helped me defend it. And you helped me deal with my boss... By changing his heart... As expected of a Phantom Thief.

Now that’s... Just absurd. You would think a detective like me would...

Give it up, Akechi. Everyone I’ve gotten involved with knows.

Akechi: Oh. I see.

Bonesaw: Well, that wasn’t hard to figure out. You seemed much too interested in our training to be a true wrestler. And it seemed only too strange when not too long after I told you about my manager, he had a change of heart. I managed to put two and two together.

Lily: (smirking) Booth.

Bonesaw: Okay... Lily figured it out... But I did figure out one thing... The Spider is Spider-Man... And Spider-Man is your friend.

>He nods to Peter.

Bonesaw: You still owe me a rematch. But seeing that you’re still just a kid... I’ll wait. Someday, we’ll fright again.

Peter: Oh... Okay... If I can.

Akechi: Oh, boy. This will be an interesting transition.

>We all laughed at that. Except Peter, but I’m sure he’s laughing on the inside.

Bonesaw: We got you something to thank you for everything you’ve done.

>Bonesaw and Lily give me my Soul Taker costume.

Bonesaw: Keep on frighting, Soul Taker. I know I will.

I will.

>We did a bro fist to seal our deal.

I am thou, thou art I… Thou hast turned a vow into a blood oath.

Thy bond shall become the wings of rebellion and break the yoke of thy heart.

Thou has awakened to the ultimate secret of the other Moon, granting thee infinite power…

Rank Up!

Confidant: Bonesaw McGee

Arcana: Moon

Rank: 10 (MAX)

Ability: Winner’s Circle

Delivers the same effects as Soul Take, but to a greater extent.

There he is! Bonesaw, are you really going to continue wrestling after you announced you have a family?

Bonesaw: (looking determined) Yes. I’m not ready to retire. I still have a long way to go.

>Then, Bonesaw looks at the camera with fire in his eyes.

Bonesaw: That’s right, everyone! Bonesaw McGee is back and better than ever! Because no matter what happens, no matter how long it takes... NO ONE CAN DEFEAT ME!

>With that, Bonesaw headbutts the camera which breaks on impact.

Peter: (temporarily snapping out of his daze) I still can’t get use to that.

No kidding!

>I just smile. We leave and join the kids in the stand as Bonesaw gets in the ring with his opponent.

Diane: You know, maybe I should get into women’s wrestling when I get older. What do you think, Mom?

Lily: Honey, if that’s what you want, go for it.

Yeah, you could be Destroya McGee.

>We laugh and we watch the match.

#phantom thieves cam